Wedding expenses can really add up... but so can all of the money you could save by trying these tips!
When you’re focusing on saving, it is extremely important to set a budget and stick to it! Figure out how much money you have coming in each month. How much of that money goes to bills and monthly expenses? How much is left over after that? From the leftover total, how much of that is feasible to stash away and put into your wedding fund?
Once you have a budget in place, we highly recommend creating a separate bank account for wedding purchases. That way the money is dedicated to the wedding only. It is also important to look at your spending and capturing where every dollar you spend goes. Doing this can help hold you accountable.
In addition to budgeting and these 12 ways you can save while planning your wedding, there are some other surefire ways to help you save money. Here are some of our suggestions:
Skip the Starbucks - Instead of getting coffee from Starbucks or Dunn Bro’s each day, make it at home instead! Saving $5+ each time really adds up.
Eat meals at home - You'd be surprised how much you can save if you meal plan and stick to it! Hold off on eating out or getting your lunch at the work cafeteria. We realize cutting eating out completely isn't always realistic... but consider only going out as a special treat... Like birthdays, or a date night out to celebrate wedding planning milestones.
Start a side hustle - Do you have any strengths that you can leverage? Are you crafty and can help make/sell decor to other brides? Are you good at designing and can sell custom invitations or save the dates? Otherwise nannying, dog walking, Instacart/Uber/Lyft are always solid options too.
Always check for coupons/cash back before making a purchase - These little savings can really add up. Check for coupons online before making a purchase. Compare prices on other websites to make sure you're getting the best deal. Often times when purchasing online, Rakuten or Swagbucks offer a percentage of your purchase back. It costs nothing to join and they'll send you a check or Paypal every few months with your rebate amount. We did this while wedding planning and got hundreds of dollars back on things we were already going to purchase!
Declutter and sell that! If you're anything like us, you have way too many clothes and items around the house. Set a weekend aside to go through everything and sell it on Poshmark, Mercari or Facebook Marketplace.
Cancel subscriptions - When we were wedding planning I didn't realize how much my monthly subscriptions were adding up. I was able to cut back on Netflix, Hulu and subscription makeup boxes and it saved almost $40 a month... That is over $400 a year!
Talk to your bank - Ask your bank what tools they have that you can leverage. We were able to transfer $1 per transaction made to our savings... It was a great way to save money without even realizing it!
Consumer Surveys - There are many companies like Fieldwork or Focus Point that will pay for your opinions. You can get anywhere from $50-$450+ for doing focus groups either online or in person!
Find the right "cash back" card for you - Many credit cards will give you incentives for spending a certain amount within a certain timeframe. If you choose to go with an airline or hotel credit card, you could even use the points to double dip and pay for your honeymoon!
Set "no spend" days or weeks - This helps you get into the habit of not purchasing things you don't need. Set certain day(s) or week(s) to not spend a dime. It is difficult, but it sure can make a difference!
You'll be surprised how trying even a few of these things will add up. While budgeting and taking the steps is important, it is also important to track how your hard work is paying off. We made a Free Wedding Savings Tracker that you can use. Print it out, and each time you save a little bit, color in a section! It is motivating and satisfying to see your hard work paying off. Happy saving!